Electric-lighting fixture



June 17; 1930. D. J. BILLER ELECTRId LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Aug. 20,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l l I l lA/i tlvrok: D m,

' .A/As HTTOENCY Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED "STATE-S FATE-N]? ormcsDAVID J. 01 8'1. LOUIS, IISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO DAY Bl flITn REFLECTOR;

01' 8'1. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI Application filedAugunt 20, 1927. Serial 80.114354.

My invention'relates to electric lighti fixtures andsystems for displaycases an the like, particularly to fixtures adapted to be placed on theoutside of a case,.such as refrigerator casesfor displaying perishableartic es.

The invention has for its principal objects a simple and neat mountingof a series of fixtures along the display case, and an individualfixture that 1s simple in construction and is provided with means forprotecting against overheating the outer shell which may comeincontact-with a person inspecting the contentsof the case. The inventionconsists principally in mounting concealed wiring in a passageway.extending through the frame member of the showcase, mounting metalhousings in transverse openings communicating .with said longitudmalpassageway and securing a fixture at each housing in position to concealit' and said transverse passageway, the wiring for said fixtureextending through said transverse passageway into the fixture betweentheinner and outer shells thereof, so that no portion of the wiring isexposed to View. The invention also conslsts in an individual fixturecomprisin a perforated outer shell and an inner shel or reflector memberhavin a marginal flanged portion secured to said frame member of thecase and contacting with one of said housings,-and also hav. ing arebent marginal flanged portion secured to the edge of the outer shellmember, the reflector member being otherwise entirely clear of saidouter shell member. The invention further consists in the illuminatingfixture and system and in the parts and combinations and arrangements ofparts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a ragmentary elevation of a refrigerator displa case and anelectric lightmg system an fixtures embodying my invention,. I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation with portions of each fixture brokenaway,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 in Flg. 3, I 4 v Fig. 6' is asectional view on the line 6-4; 1n Fig. 5, and a r Fig. 7 is a sectionalview on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Y

It is obviously advantageous to locate the electric illuminatingfixtures of refrigerator cases and the. like outside the case, so as toavoid heatin the interior of the case. However, suc exteriorilluminating devices frequently. become overheated and ma causediscomfort or even injury ,if touched by persons inspecting the contentsof the case and they are frequently very unsightly. The presentinvention seeks to avoid the rlsk of overheating the fixtures and toovercome the other disadvantages of other extes longitudinal passageway4 and extend to the front outer edge of the longitudinal frame member.

Secured to the frame member 1 at each transverse passageway is anelectric illuminatmg fixture indicated generally by the numeral '7. Theinner shell or reflector mem-' ber 8 of each fixture has a transverselybowed body to one end of which is secured a socket member ,9 for anelectric light 10, an elongated electric bulb of the kind commonly used1n illuminating display cases being indicated in the drawing.

Said reflector member 8 has a flanged portion 11 that contacts fiatwisewith a mounting strip 13 the two being secured to the frame member 1 oneither side of a transverse passageway as by screws 12. Said mountingstr1 13 has a rebent marginal flange 13 to w ich is secured an outershell member 14, of transverse curvature. Said In each transversepassageway -5 .1s extended a metal housing 6.

outer shell member 14 is large enough to be entirel clear of thereflector member 8 exhousings are suitably cept a ongx the marginalportion that is s ecured to t e flange 13' of the mounting strip 13 of.the reflector member. Preferably the outer shell is provided with slots15 enlarged at one end to receive headed screws or pins 16 secured tothe rebent flange 13 of the re flector member so that the outer shellmay)be easily removed from said reflector mem er.

A flexible metal tube 17 containing the "main electric feed wires 18 forthe group of through a hole- 20 provided 'threfor in the flange portion11 of the reflector member and are thus concealed between the reflectormember 8 and the outer shell member 14. The grounded as through themetal tube 17 in which the main feed wires 18 are mounted and theflanged portion 11 of the reflector member contacts with said housing 6;so that in case of a short circuit or any electric trouble, the fixture7 will be grounded, thus avoiding the risk of giving an electric shockto any person touching the outer shell 1a or the reflector member 8. Theouter shell is provided with ventilating openings 21 to permit escape ofheated air from the s ace between the reflectorand the outer she l.

The above described illuminating fixture and system for refrigeratordisplay cases have numerous advantages. The entire sys-' tem and theindividual fixtures are simple in construction and easy to assemble anddisassemble. The wiring is concealed and the individual fixtures presenta very neat external appearance. Obviously numerous changes may be madewithout departing from the. in'- vention and i do not wish to be limitedto the precise construction shown.

What I claim is:

1. An electric lighting fixture for display cases and the like having alongitudinal frame member, comprising a reflector member having aflanged marginal portion secured to said frame member and an outer shellsupported entirely by means securing it to said reflector member alongone edge, said outer shell being otherwise clear of said reflectormember and spaced away therefrom.

2. An electric lighting fixture for display cases and the like having alongitudinal frame member, comprising a reflector member having aflanged marginal portion secured to said frame member and an outer shellsupported entirely by means securing it to said reflector member alongone edge, said outer shell bein otherwise clear of said reflector memberan spaced away therefrom At each transverse passageway, wires" andhaving ventilating openings' therethrou h. v

' 3. electric illuminating system for display cases and the likecomprising a longitudinal frame member of sa d case provided with aconcealed longitudinal passageway and lateral passageways opening intosaid longitudinal passageway, a flexible metal tube containing electricwiring extending through said longitudinal passageway, elec- *tricwiring connected thereto and extending through a metal housing providedtherefor in each transverse passageway and a plurality of metalilluminatin fixtures secured to said frame member an each concealingoneof said transverse passageways, said electric wiring extending fromsaid transverse passageways into said fixtures, said fixtures contactingwith said housings and said housings with said tube, thereby groundingsaid fixtures.

4. An electric lighting fixture for display cases and the likecomprising a longitudinal frame member of said case through whichextends a concealed longitudinal passageway and which isprovided. with atransverse passageway opening into said longitudinal passageway, areflector member, an electric light socket member secured thereto, saidreflector member having a flanged por' tion secured to said frame andconcealing said transverse opening, an outer shell secured to saidreflector member along one edge and being otherwise clear thereof andelectric wiring extending through said longitudinal passageway, intosaid transverse passageway and through said flanged portion of saidreflector member into the space between said reflector member and saidouter shell.

5. An electric lighting fixture for display cases and the likecomprising a longitudinal frame member of said case through whichextends a concealed longitudinal passageway and which is provided with atrans-' verse passageway opening into said longitudinal passageway, areflector member, an electric llght socket member secured at one endthereof, said reflector member having, 1

a flanged portion secured to said frame and concealing said transverseopening, said reflector member also having a rebent margi nal flange, anouter shell removably secured to said rebent marginal flange of saidrefiector member along one edge and being otherwise clear thereof andelectric wiring for sald light socket member extending through saidlongitudinal passageway, into sald transverse passageway and through anopening prov1ded therefor in said flanged portion of said reflectormember into the space between said reflector member and said outershell.

6. An electric lighting fixture for display cases and the like having alongitudinal casesand'the like comprising a longitu extends a concealedlon way and which is provi ed with a transverse passageway open' day .ofAugust, 1927.

frame member comprising a reflector memher having a flange flange membersecured flatwise to sald reflector member flange and to said framemember and having a rebent marginal flange and an outer shell secured tosaid rebent marginal flange along one edge, said outer shell beingotherwise. clear of said reflector member. t

7. An electric fighting fixture for dis lay cases and the like comrising a longitu inal frame member of said case through which extends aconcealed lon 'tudinal passageway and which is provi ed with atransverse passageway openin said reflector member havinga flangedportion extending along said frame, a mountin strip contacting fiatwisewith said flange portion of said reflector, screws passing through saidstrip and flange to secure them to said frame, thereby concealing saidtransverse opening, said strip having an outwardly extending flange, ,anouter shell secured to said flange along one edge and bein otherwiseclear of sa1d reflector member an electric wiring extending throu h saidlongitudinal passa eway, into sai transverse passageway an through saidflanged portion of said reflector member and said mounting strip intothe s ace between saidreflector member and sai outer shell,

8. Anelectric lighting fixture for dis lay mal case through which framemember of sai tudinal passageinto said longitudmal passageway,,a reector member, an

electric light socket member secured at one end thereof, said reflectormember having a flanged portion extending along said frame, a mountingstrip contacting flat wise" with said flanged portion of said reflectormember, screws passing through said strip and flange to secure them tosaid frame member, thereby concealing said transverse opening, saidmounting stri havin a flange, an outer shell removab y secure to saidflange alon one edge and being otherwise clear of sai reflector memberand 'electric wiring for said light socket member extending t rou h saidlongitudinal passageway, into said transverse'passageway and throughopenings provided therefor in said flanged portion of said reflectormember and in said mounting strip into the space be-' tween saidreflector member and said outer shell.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 18th DAVID J. BILLER.

portionand a separate into said longi 'tudinal passageway, a re ectormember, an electric light socket member secured thereto,

